UPDATE 2-Nokia Siemens secures 1.2 bln euro loan-source

Reuters Staff

2 Min Read

* Secures loan from consortium of 14 banks

* Had hoped to raise 1.5 bln euros

* To replace loan facility expiring this summer

By Tarmo Virki

Jan 23 (Reuters) - Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) has raised more than 1.2 billion euros from a group of 14 European and U.S. banks as it looks to restructure the business and pay costs of a big redundancy programme, a source close to the deal said on Monday.

NSN was originally seeking to raise 1.5 billion euros, but had to settle for a smaller amount due to market turmoil, the source added.

Owners Nokia and Siemens bailed out NSN with an additional 1 billion euros of equity last year after attempts to sell the business failed, but the loss-making venture has said it would not seek more money from its parents.

NSN, which has struggled to make a profit since being set up in 2007, was formed in the hope of building enough scale to lead an industry dominated by Swedish company Ericsson and, increasingly, by Chinese entrants.

The world’s second largest mobile telecom gear maker has faced aggressive pricing from rivals and an economic downturn that has forced telecoms companies to cut spending. NSN said in November it was axing 17.000 jobs, almost a quarter of its workforce.

Earlier, the Financial Times (FT) newspaper said, without citing a source, that about 600 million euros would be provided as a one-year term loan that would need to replaced when it expires in the summer of 2013, with the remainder coming on a three-year term.

A source cited by the FT said NSN would look at raising money in the capital market through issuing bonds, which it hoped would be available before the expiry of the one-year debt.

The banks involved in the deal include JPMorgan, Citibank, Bank of America, Royal Bank of Scotland and Standard Chartered.

NSN needed to replace a 2-billion-euros debt facility set to expire this summer and which was used to support corporate activities.